Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan released this statement on the third anniversary of the February 28 2022 flood.

Three years ago, our community faced Australia's biggest natural disaster since Cyclone Tracy. The devastating floods tore through Lismore and the Mid-Richmond, destroying thousands of homes and businesses - leaving an entire community with serious questions about its future.

In the aftermath, there were only two approaches that could have been taken: remove everyone from the floodplain, or keep them there and implement serious flood mitigation measures to lower the height of the next flood.

The NSW State Government chose the strategy of removing those in danger from the floodplain. This has failed. 

Over 2,000 homes were identified to be unsafe. We are now in a position that less than half of the homes identified will be bought back. Some families who accepted a buyback, have purchased new properties back on the floodplain, highlighting the failure of this plan.

Individuals and families had nowhere to live and had to make decisions about their immediate future. Some people started putting money back into their homes and commenced renovations immediately. Others decided to sell their properties on the private market. The new property owners did not qualify for the buyback.

After the completion of the buyback program, maybe 900 of the 2000 homes identified by the NRRC will have been bought back. This means over 1000 homes will remain on the flood plain. Those individuals and families will be no safer and are still at risk. The CBD, industrial estates, businesses, villages, farmers and the road network are no safer.

The strategy of withdrawing from the floodplain has failed. Flood mitigation is the only strategy that will give the region a sustainable future and safety.

Over $800m has been spent on the original strategy of withdrawing from the floodplain. None of this money has lowered the level of the next flooding event. This means no home, business or industrial estate occupant, is in any safer.

Our path ahead must include a public commitment to flood mitigation. CSIRO will release a report this year, looking at practical scenarios that include engineering solutions to mitigate future flooding. This work is crucial.

If the community knows a metre or more will be taken off future events, they will invest and live in confidence in the Northern Rivers. 

The McKell Institute’s Cost of Extreme Weather Report found that between 2005 and 2022, the Federal Government spent $23.99 billion on disaster recovery and relief, while only $1.51 billion was allocated for disaster prevention. This imbalance must change. Flood mitigation is the best prevention option for the Northern Rivers to grow and prosper. It will also save future governments—and therefore taxpayers—billions of dollars by reducing the impact of future disasters. The 2022 disaster alone is measured as a $15 billion event.

The Government at all levels must act. Decision-makers now will determine whether the next major flooding event in this region kills people, destroys lives financially, or if the region has been made safer. Mistakes have been made, and significant public funds have been spent with marginal return. This can be rectified with a real commitment to flood mitigation and a clear vision for the region’s future.